


Cup Of Tea

by stagofthenight



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: Coming Out, F/F, Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-08-29 02:21:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8471866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stagofthenight/pseuds/stagofthenight
Summary: Based on how Patsy said that it was exhausting keeping secrets, my take on how Patsy and Delia may come out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic that I've posted, so please be gentle, any constructive criticism is welcome

"Can I offer you a cup of tea, I shan't ask a thing about it but you don't have to pretend nothing has happened. We all do that too much of the time. It's utterly exhausting."

Nurse Crane had accepted the offer of tea and the two midwives headed to the nearest cafe before continuing their rounds. Phyllis was unusually quiet as patsy ordered two teas. The more experienced nurse had also noticed something amiss with Nurse Mount but had decided not to pry and instead offer support for whatever 'secret' was exhausting the red head. 

Patsy returned to her seat with two cups of tea and a plate of biscuits. "Can I presume that you did not know Mr Smith was married?"   
"I did not, no" her Leeds accent was strong as ever but the older voice wavered as she tried to find the words to ask Nurse Mount about her troubles, she already thought she had a bit of an idea of the situation. 

"And what is troubling you Nurse Mount?" This was okay, Patsy was good at lying... Or so she thought. "Nothing at all I am perfectly splendid"  
"I think we both know that that is a lie Nurse Mount" the unbreakable Patience Elizabeth was speechless at the forwardness of Nurse Crane, Patsy did not think her rude- she was simply taken aback. Infact, she admired the similar plainness of Phylis Crane. 

"Nurse Mount, my many years of experience have left me with lasting lessons in many a subject, but it is simple enough to notice when a fellow friend is troubled"  
Patsy smiled and a tear formed in her eye, she loved Trixie but the blonde also had her own problems and aside from Delia, Patsy had never felt such care from a single person. Patience smiled a fake smile and proceeded to try and formulate a sentence

"I shall not pry Patsy, if I may call you that, but I am here if you wish to offload some troubles, I can assure you I am perfectly trustable and I am well able to keep secrets" Phylis gave a knowing smile. 

"I suppose I'm just lonely, that's all. At what point in your life did people stop asking about your gentleman friend?"

"They never did stop really, how about you nurse mount, does nobody take your fancy, a perfectly beautiful woman like you in a stable career would have...people lining up in a que!" Patsy took note of the hesitance of Phylis before she said 'people'. Patsy thought Phylis knew, and she could not carry on in complete secrecy. 

"Well I suppose there is somebody"

"I'm happy for you Nurse Mount". Another knowledgable glance shone through to Patsy to show that the elder nurse could be trusted. Phyllis was remembering every look of adoration between Patsy and Delia, every touch of the hand that lasted longer than was socially acceptable, and every time Patsy tried to inconspicuously slip into Delias bedroom,until Phyllis got interrupted. 

"As you once said yourself, there is no point keeping secrets" Phylis nodded at Patsy's first mention of the topic willing her to continue. 

"I have a very deep secret, it could ruin my life if portrayed to the wrong people"

"I think I may know"

Patsy's eyes spilled with even more tears as she panicked, her mind flying through everything she would lose: her job, her accommodation, her reputation, her Delia.   
"Please don't tell anyone?"  
"I am not the sort of person to spoil a persons career for what is, to me, no problem at all, and I think you may find that there are other people you could tell, Trixie perhaps?"  
"Does she know?"  
"Not that I am aware of, however she is your closest friend and is very accepting of all people"

Patsy paused and thought about how Trixie had been with Mr Amos and how she had stuck up for him at the dinner table (battling against sister Winifred was very valiant!). She also thought about how Trixie had come clean to Patsy and Delia about Alcoholics Anonymous, maybe Trixie did know but did not wish to pry?

"Thank you Phylis"  
"Im always available for a chat, maybe even some cover for you both"

Patsy gave a grateful smile as the pair stood. They paid their bill and headed out of the cafe. 

"Can I offer you a lift Nurse Mount?"  
"That would be lovely thank you, Nonatus House so that I can pick up my bike?"  
"Of course"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patsy reveals her plan following her advice from Phyllis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to anybody that liked or commented, it really helped with first time nerves!!

After Supper, Patsy and Delia retired to Delia's room. Patsy had briefly mentioned that she had spoken with Nurse Crane and wanted to tell her about it. This worried Delia but she powered on with that usual smile on her face. 

She signalled for Patsy to accompany her upstairs and so they did. Patsy slipped into her own room to change into her striped pyjamas before entering the room of her girlfriend just along the corridor. Nothing had been said and already Patsy was pouring a neat whisky at Delia's dresser. The panic overcame Delia; "Pats what is it?", her Welsh lilt stronger than ever. Patsy spun on her toes to see her beautiful Welsh flower crumbling. "It's okay, we are safe sweetheart" At that, Patsy went to cradle her lover in her arms. "Please just tell me Pats"  
"Nurse Crane knows"  
"What? When? We're going to lose our jobs... Pats why are you not worried by that fact?"

At that Delia realised that it must be okay because her ever fearful Patsy was not flustered half as much as she would have been had Nurse Crane knowing been a catastrophe. 

"Because she isn't going to say anything"  
"Oh"  
"She recommended that I tell Trix" Delia could not comprehend this situation, while she was fully accepting of people like herself, she had always known that she would be highly disregarded if people knew her truth, their truth. 

"Do you trust Trixie?" Delia asked, somewhat reservedly.  
"Yes, after Mr Amos I believe that she will be very accepting, and a good person to have on our side" Patsy winked at the small welshwoman and continued "she has mentioned something about covering for some people like us when she first started out as a nurse"  
"I believe you, it will be nice for us to have some knowing friends, more time to be open" Delia smirked.  
"Mustn't get complacent" retorted Patsy, "As you well know Nurse Busby, not everybody is as open minded" said Patsy in her most sophisticated nurses manor while still attempting to be jovial. Delia released a giggle at Patsy's fake seriousness but noted the sour truth behind the tone. 

The two sweethearts lay in each others company, the rise and fall of their chests synchronised. 

"Did you know Patience Mount, that I am completely in love with everything about you, your efficiency, your nursing ability, your love for the people you hold dear, that legendary side smirk you have, and did you know Patience Mount, that I am completely in love with you"  
"And I am completely, madly, relentlessly in love with you Delia Busby"  
Delia smiled and kissed the redheads nose before nuzzling down into her neck, until she remembered that Patsy usually had to leave now. Suddenly, her Welsh stomach dropped and she panicked before remembering herself, rationalising what to do. "Pats, stay with me tonight?"

Patsy panicked, she so wanted to stay but knew that it would be difficult, she recalled the rota, Trixie and Barbara were out on call, with Nurse Crane on telephone duty, the Nuns would be in bed by now and in Chapel when Patsy woke, it was feasible with a little bit of care. "Of course sweetheart"

With the reply she wanted, Delia allowed herself to drift into the most peaceful sleep she had had in a long while.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patsy finally gets round to the task at hand...

"You and Phyllis have grown very close, I'm quite jealous" Trixie commented with her classic smirk of mischief as her and her best friend relaxed for a night in together; they were both off duty and Patsy had insisted. The red head knew that she ought to spend more time with Trixie as they had barely seen each other since Delia had arrived. 

Patsy poured another whiskey, God knows she needed it, as what was to follow was to be one of Patsy's bravest moments indeed. It went against all of her fears and included her biggest risks, never had she initiated a "coming out" herself. All of her past habits of always checking and being ever so careful completely contradicted this very moment. 

"She is an extremely powerful woman" replied Patsy.   
"She is indeed, I admire her, the lack of a gentleman has certainly not affected her!"  
"Do you really believe that having a 'gentleman' is that important?" Patsy probed.   
"I do believe that I, personally, may stand in better stead with one, I would love to have children, but no Patsy, I do not think that having a boyfriend is the be all and end all. Why do you ask?" 

"Be bold Patsy, you have been through worse than this, she is your friend, she has poured her soul to you and trusts you, you can do the same. No matter what you still have Deels " were Patsy's words of self encouragement. 

"Because I never wish to have one" retorted the taller of the two nurses.   
"Oh, why ever not Pats? Even something that isn't serious can be a bit of fun, love is the spice of life!"   
"Oh but Trixie I have love in my life, I have my family in the Nonnatuns, but I am also in a relationship"  
"But you just..."   
Patsy cut Trixie short with a tear in her eye "I am in a relationship with a woman, with Delia, my Delia"

A thousand thoughts per second ran through Trixie's head as Patsy's tears began to fall. Trixie instantly rushed to her side to hold her while she formulated a response. The blonde certainly was not repulsed, or unaccepting, though she was mad, not with Patsy no, but with herself for not noticing. She was too caught up in her own life in a bottle to notice the adoration that sparked a light in Patsy's eyes once Delia moved in, to notice how the screams in her sleep had reduced to mere tosses and turns after an evening with Delia; she was also too caught up in her loneliness to notice why Patsy had been spending more time with Delia... Especially in the evenings. 

"Oh Patsy" were the only words Trixie could manage until her friend began sobbing even more. Patsy was still scared, no Trixie hadn't run to tell Sister Julienne, but she didn't say anything at all, Trixie may be too appalled to say anything. All of Patsy doubts creeped in like they had always done and she could do nothing but sob in anticipation as to what Trixie would say. 

"Please don't cry Patsy, it's okay, I'm still here and I'm not going to tell anybody, there is no reason to, thank you for telling me"

With that Patsy smiled, more in relief than gratitude, as she tried to formulate a sentence. 

"Thank you Trix, I don't know why but I knew I had to tell you, I know I'm not a very open person but you deserve to know who you are surrounded by"

Trixie smiled "I know who I'm surrounded by, I'm surrounded by the Nonnatus family: the Nuns, Barbara and Phyllis, I'm surrounded by my best friend and her girlfriend, and I feel safe and comfortable with all of these people"

The red head smiled, her throat yearning for the filthy habit that she knew would ease her angst. 

Trixie pulled out her pack of cigarettes as if reading her friends mind, offering one to Patsy and lighting it for her as it hung limply from her mouth. Patsy was overjoyed with relief. 

"Shall we settle in for the night?" Patsy said as more of an indication as to what she wanted to do rather than asking a question. 

"Good idea, it's been a rather heavy evening"


	4. Cup of tea

Patsy sat slumped on her bed with her beloved Delia lay across her torso while Trixie sat on her own bed. It had been two weeks after Patsy had exposed her truest self to her best friend, and she had never felt safer. 

"I want all the details"

"Like what?" Replied Patsy, unable to fully knock her habit of sharing the bare minimum. Delia knew her love too well and took it upon herself to enlighten Trixie. 

"Nurses training, a couple of weeks into the first year. I had heard about the notorious Patience Mount, quite a reputation about the ward she had! She fascinated every inch of me, I wanted to know why this beautiful and, at the time blonde, woman did not have a gentlemen friend and why she had no friends within the nurses, and what inclined her to remain so secluded whilst the other nurses were out having hijinks with the junior doctors" Delia wanted to make the most of being able to gloat about her darling. 

"You make me sound like the loneliest wolf there ever was! I did have interests, I just didn't know how to portray it" Patsy said with adoration in her eyes and love in her tone as she smirked at her dearest. 

"I was entranced by her" continued Delia. "And I knew instantly when I saw her that that was not how other girls felt about colleagues. I wanted to know this woman, I wanted to dig deeper than the guarded front that was put by the unflappable Nurse Mount"

"I was unflappable until you came along" smirked Patsy. 

Trixie was amazed at the ease between the pair and how freely Delia was able to speak about her darling Pats after years of repressing her love. The blonde supposed it was like spraying an aerosol; under pressure for such a long time until all is released. 

"And then one night, I needed a textbook and we had become acquainted, so I popped over to borrow one" recalled Delia "and within the space of an hour with the help of a bottle of bourbon, we were 'best friends' but by no mean were we friend zoned!" 

Patsy loved hearing Delia speak so animatedly, but wanted to make sure that the blonde was still comfortable. The red head gave her a questioning look, but Trixie was too eager to hear the other tales to give Patsy a valid reply. 

"The first kiss? The big reveal?" Questioned Trixie, who felt as though she was at the cinema watching the latest Audrey Hepburn film. 

"I was in the prep room when the door opened, a particular ginger nurse floated in. She smiled, briefly, but then continued to stare right through my eyes and must have looked right into my heart, because what she did next is evidence that she may be phsycic!"

Patsy's cheeks blushed a deep red while Trixie leant forward, interested in what was to ensue. 

"Next thing the door was locked, and my dreams of the last few weeks were about to come true, for weeks I had dreamt that my beautiful 'best friend' would look me in the eyes and then begin to lean in and..."

"Okay, but I want to hear the juicy bits!! Not Delia's big daydream!" Said Trixie, bemused at Delia's current state. Patsy just looked on lovingly. 

Delia smiled apologetically, then continued "the door was locked and walking towards me was elegance in the flesh. And she was looking at me and leaning down and I could feel her breathe and she smelt like lavender and bleach and then she was just about to kiss me when...she pulled back and apologised. I did not accept the apology of course. Instead I showed her."

"Showed her what??"

"What she really meant to me. I put my hands on either said of her milky neck, she checked that no one was at the door first until looking right back at me, and I said 'Patience Elizabeth Mount, I have been waiting for you to do that for such a long time'"

The red head then continued their tale, "and then she stood on her tip toes and kissed me, naturally my hands slipped down to a place I had had my eye on since I first saw her, she jumped a little then relaxed into my touch"

"Did nobody see you??" A stunned Trixie asked. 

"No, but of course we remembered ourselves, and soon returned back to Earth. 'See you tonight' was the only immediate conversation" remembered Delia "because we both knew, we had both spent so much time imagining that moment and it was perfect and we knew, we knew that the first kiss was deeply rooted with shared love" 

And for the first time in their relationship, they locked lips in front of another person with the sheer relief of being able to expose such a pure love. They were accepted and loved by others and the love the felt was finally justified by another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who have read this, I love these two and writing is my only real creative outlet and it has been nice to finally share some of my work!


End file.
